Coronavirus made its debut in Colorado on Thursday, March 15, and has since spread to several counties – including El Paso County.

What makes coronavirus different from the flu?

Influenza and the coronavirus have similar symptoms, but there’s a vaccine for influenza and none yet for coronavirus. And it’s not too late to get a flu shot, staff at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs says.

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The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, dry cough, body aches and shortness of breath says the World Health Organization. and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some patients may have nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Symptoms can all appear two to 14 days after initial exposure to another person who has coronavirus

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A lot of these COVID-19 symptoms do overlap with the flu, and the preventative measures Children’s Hospital is sharing with families are its recommendations for preventing the spread of all respiratory illnesses, including influenza and COVID-19.

In Colorado, we’re still in the midst of respiratory season and Children’s Hospital is seeing a lot of patients with influenza and RSV. As influenza remains a threat, Children’s Hospital recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive their flu shot.

Between 2018 and 2019, the CDC estimated that 35.5 million Americans had the flu, and 34,157 of them died of the illness.